Art of producing clips and the like



C. H ZILER. ART OF PRODUCING CLIPS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION-FILED OCT. 8, 1920.

Patented Feb; 28, 1922.

warren STATES rA'reN'r OFFER.

GORBAN H. ZILER, OE WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR O1 ONE-HALF TO LEGGETT & PLATT SPRING BED (30., LIMITED, 0F WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA,

I A. CORPORATION.

ART OF PRODUCING CLIPS AND THE LIKE.

Specification oi Letterslatent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Application filed October 8, 1920. Serial No. 415,608.

ducing connecting membersof curved formation and concurrently applying the same to the workin hand, and more particularly to the production of connecting clips, links and the like, from a sheet metal blank and in a manner whereby such clips are given the desired curvature by the method of severance of the clip strip from the blank and the application of the clip to another member or members brought into juxtaposition thereto, may be effected by such formation.

With regard to the more specific application of the invention, the same relates to the formation of clips for connecting the coils of wire springs inthe construction of spring seats and the like, and to the application of such clips to such coils.

An object of this invention is "to facilitate, simplify and cheapen the manufacture of connecting members, such as clips, links and the like and also the application of such members to the work in hand. It is also an object of the invention to provide a clip and a methodof producing the same, which is such as to particularly adapt the same for use in the construction of fabricated structures, such as spring seatsa-nd back struc-- tures, and similar devices, and whereby the clip forming and applying operations are so combined as to greatly facilitate and cheapen the manufacture of such device. Other objects will hereinafter more fully apear.

l/Vith the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference .being had to the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a, front elevation of a device illustrative of means for performing the invention 'Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the same;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lower end portion of the device and illustrating the manner in which a clip is formed thereby and applied to spring coils;

Fig. 4C is a front elevation of the device drawn to a reduced scale and showing a slightly modified construction and the manner in which the same is used in applying the clips to a spring structure;

Fig. 5 is a detail showing a further modi fication of the device and illustrating the manner in which a clip of a form different from that shown in Fig. 3 may be formed; and

Fig. 6 is a view illustrative of different forms of clips or connecting members which may be produced in accordance with the invention.

In the drawing an organized mechanism is illustrated for producing clips or similar connecting members in accordance with the invention, which mechanism embodies the instrumentalities essential to the production of such members by the method embodying the invention, but it will be understood that such organism is merely illustrative of one form of mechanism adapted to carry out the method which may be practiced by the employment 'ofany suitable instrumentalities.

In the manufacture of spring seat cushions, and similar articles utilizing a plurality of helical. springs, it is the common practice to connect the upper coils of the several springs by means of clips made of wirewhich are formed prior to their application to the coils, thus necessitating means embodying a former for forming the clips and separate means for applying these clips.

In the present art of producing clips and the like, these clips comprise strips severed from a blank or ribbon of sheet metal and the severing of the metal is performed in a manner to cause the strip during the cutting, to curl or bend in the direction of its length and thus assume the desired permanent form. The strips are thus cut from the blank and coincidentally shaped, one at a time, and as the shaping is due to the manner of severance of the strips, no separate former, anvil orrother device for bending and setting the clip stock is necessary, and by placing the spring coils or other members to be unrted or engaged by the clip, adjacent the portion of the blank being severed, as the end or ends are out free of the blank and curl or bend, the coils or member properly placed in relation thereto will be embracedthereby and permanently connected, the wholeoperation being automatic, and the only necessary instrumentalities being a suitable support for holding the blank with jecting beyond the face of the support, a distance substantially equal to the width of the strip to be severed, and a suitable severing member movable across the support to shear the projecting end portion from the blank, such shearing activity being progressive lengthwise of the strip being severed, thus supposedly causing, by the manner in which the shearing force is applied, a change in the molecular structure of the strip which causes it to curl or bendas it is severed from the blank and assume the desired permanent curve or set.

In the drawing, instrumentalities neces sary to the carrying out of the method embodying the invention are illustrated as embodied in an operable machine which con sists as sh own in Figs. 1 and 2 of a channeled supporting or carrying member 1 having a slide or cutting member 2 slidable in the channel with its cutting end movable across a slot or opening 3 in the support adjacent its end and extending transversely of the plane of reciprocation of the slide. The end portion of the cutter or slide which is adapted to move across the slot 3 is notched or otherwise shaped as at a, to provide an angular cutting shoulder 5, all or a portion of which shoulder is inclined in the direction of its length to the plane of reciprocation of the slide and the plane of the sheet metal blank 6 which is inserted in the slot 3 and supported thereby with an end portion 7 of the blank projecting beyond the face of the support 1 and unsupported against lateral pressure, said free end portion 7 being of a width substantially equal to the desired width of the strip of stock to be severed.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the cutting angles 5 are so formed relative to the plane of reciprocation of the slide that they are first brought into en gagement with the side edges of the blank and sever the strip from the blank progres sively inward from said edges with a shearing action which curls the strip as it is severed and imparts a permanent set thereto. The narrow projecting end 7 of the blank which is unsupported against lateral pressure of the cutter slide is thus progressively sheared from the body of the blank and this progressive shearing action causes the freed portions of the strip to curl in a. direction. and with a curvature depending upon the an end portion proconfiguration'of the end of the cutter slide or end surface which is formed with the hardened shearing angle .5 at its inner edge which edge or angle lies upon the surface of the support or member l beyond which the end portion 7 *of the bl'ankprojects. This end surface may be variously shaped to secure the desired curvature of the sow cred strip and the configuration of the completed clip will depend upon the shape of this end surface and upon the thickness of the stock of the blank and the width of its projecting end portion which is to be severed. The shape of the complete clip-may therefore be varied by varying these elements in relation to one another and the form of the clip may also be varied by the manner in whichthe strip is severed, that is, it may be cut from a blank by a shearing action progressing inwardly from each end of the stripbeing severed, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, orit may be severed as indicated in Fig. 5, by cutting inwardly from each edge of the blank in opposite directionsby opposed slides 8 and 9 moving in opposite directions and. thus cause the opposite ends of the severed strip to curl in opposite directions. By severing the strip with a shearing action progressing strip from one end thereof another form of clip may be produced and a clip in the form of a coil or with overlapping ends may be made by properly fashioning the cutting end of the slide.

In the production of any or all of the various form of clips, loops, links or other connecting members having an eye or loop formation, the member or part to which the eye is to be connected or which is to be em braced by the eye, may be attached to or inserted in the eye during the production of the clip or loop by simply positioning the member or members adjacent the end of the support 1 for the'blank Where the curling end or ends of thestrip as it is severed from the blank will curl around and embrace such member or. members. The application of these clips or connecting members to the work in hand is therefore readily accomplished without the necessityfor the use of means separate from the cutter or severing instrumentality for forming and closing such eye or loop of the clip around the member. i

This method of producing clips therefore particularly adapts it for practice in connection with the fabrication of spring seats and the like which includes a large number of helical springs that are to be tied together by clips applied to the upper coils of adjacent springsas illustrated in Fig. 4: of the drawing wherein 10 indicates such coils of a series ofsprings. In Fig. 3the manner of applying'clips for illustrated in detail.

loi'lgitudinally of the 1 uniting the coils 10 is imam? As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,:th'e cutter slide QisTeciprocated on its'power or downward stroke by a suitable rod 11 which may be continuously reciprocated by power in any suitable manner and this rod is provided with a head 12which is reciprocable within the guideway of the supporting guide memher 1 in longitudinal alinement with the slide 2. A block 13 is interposed in the guideway between the head 12 and slide 2 which block is normally held in a retracted position out of the path of reciprocation of the head 12 by a spring 14-, and a manually operable pusher 15 is attached to the block to move the same into the path of the head against theaction of the spring. To retract the slide 2 or move it on its'idle stroke, a spring 16 is attached thereto at one end and at its opposite end is made fast in any suitable manner to the supporting guide memher 1. lhe complete device illustrated, is of such a size that it may be readily grasped in the hand of the operator and accurately positioned by him relative to the work to which the clips are to be applied and when in proper position a clip may be caused to be formed by simply pressing inward upon the button or member 15 to move the block 13 into the path of head 12 so that upon down ward movement of the head it will come into contact with the block and through such contact move the slide downwardly and sever a strip from the metal blank or ribbon which is fed through the slot 3 in the lower end of the supporting guide in any suitable manner, the inward movement of the blank being limited to gauge the width of the strip to be severed therefrom, by providing ribs 17 on the slide which project inwardly beyond the end face of the slide to engage the end of the blank adjacent each side edge thereof.

As previously stated the head 12 may be reciprocated in any suitable manner and as illustrated in Fig. i, such reciprocation is effected by means of a rotatable cam 18 mounted upon the upper end of the supporting guide member 1 and made fast to short shaft 19 which is preferably rotated by means of a flexible shaft 20 so that the device as a whole may be readily moved by the operator from place to place to permit him to locate the same in proper position relative to the coils 10 as shown in Fig. at, to apply the clips 21 thereto as each is severed from the blank or ribbon which is also carried by the head or supporting guide 1.

The art of producing clips as set forth herein is therefore applicable to the manufacture of devices including a plurality of coiled springs wherein these springs are to be connected by clips or it will be understood that clips, links or other connecting members for other purposes may be advanta eously produced in accordance with this in i ention and that these clips so produced may be used independently or may be applied to the work'in hand in accordance with this invention coincidently with their production.

Obviously any instrumentality may be employed for supporting a blank, from which the clip strips are to be sheared and any instrumentality may be employed in conjunction with such support for shearing the strips from the blank in accordance with the practice of the method herein set forth, and therefore it will be understood that the de vice shown in the drawing for practicing the invention is merely illustrative .of simple means for such purpose. I do not therefore limit myself except as set forth in the appended claims, to the employment of any particular form or arrangement of devices or means for practicing the invention.

\Vhat I claim is 1- 1. The method of producing connecting members of strip form from a blank and wherein the strip is curved in the direction of its length,which consists in supporting the blank with a portion substantially equal to the width of the strip to be produced projecting beyond the face of the support, and severing the projecting portion from the blank by a shearing action to cause the severed portion to curl in the direction of its length.

2. The method of producing connecting members of strip form from a blank and wherein the strip is curved in the direction of its length, which consists in supporting the blank with a portion projecting beyond the face of the support, and severing the projecting portion from the blank by a shearing action progressing inwardly from an edge thereof.

3. In the art of producing retaining clips and the like from a blank having one dimension which is greater than the width of a. strip to be severed therefrom and wherein a portion of the clip is curved in the direction of the length of the clip strip; the method of producing a clip strip having a permanent curvature which consists in supporting the blank with a portion projecting beyond the face of the support a distance substantially equal to the width of the strip to be produced, and producing the strip by a shearing action with the shearing activity applied in a manner to develop the permanent strip curvature.

4-. In the art of producing retaining clips and the like from a blank having one dimension which is greater than the width of a strip to be severed therefrom and wherein a portion of the strip is curved in the direction of the length of the clip strip; the method of producing a clip strip having a permanent curvature which consists in supporting the blank with a portion projecting beyond the face of the support a distance substantially equal to the width of the strip to be produced, and producing a strip by a shearing action with the shearing activity progressively applied longitudinally of the strip.

5. In the art of producing retaining clips and the like from a blank having one dimension which is greater than the width of a strip to be severed therefrom and wherein a portion of the clip is curved in the direction 0' the length of the clip strip; the method of producing a clip strip having a permanent curvature which consists in supporting the blank with a portion projecting beyond the face of the support a distance substantially equal to the width of the strip to be produced, and producing the strip by shearing action applied progressively ,inward from an edge of the blank corresponding to an end of the strip being severed therefrom.

6. In the art of producing retaining clips and the like from a blank having one dimension which is greater than the width of a strip to be severed therefrom and wherein a portion of the clip is curved in the direction of the length of the clip strip; the method of producing a clip strip having a permanent curvature which consists in sup porting the blank with a portion projecting beyond the face of the support a distance substantially equal to the width of the strip to be produced, and concurrently producing the strip and its curvature by shearing the blank to sever the strip therefrom with the shearing action developed progressively in the direction of the length of the strip from an end thereof.

7. In the production of fabricated articles wherein elements are connected by members of strip form which are bent to embrace adjacent portions of such elements, and where in the stock from which such member is to be formed comprises a projecting end portion of a supported blank; the method of applying the member which consists in producing the strip by a shearing action while the blank and element to be embraced by the formed member are in juxtaposition, with the shearing action developed progressively inward from an edge of the blank to concur-' rently produce a curvature of the strip and cause the same to embrace said element.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CORBAN H. ZILER. WVitnesses ANNA M. Donn, CHAS. W. STAUFFIGEB. 

